Israel rebukes Al Jazeera for prisoner "party"
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- GeoffNI
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Israel said on Wednesday it would no longer assist Al Jazeera because of what it said was a televised party hosted by the influential Arabic television station for a Lebanese prisoner freed last month.
The head of Israel's Government Press Office (GPO) said Al Jazeera would get only minimal services until it provided a "reasonable answer" about a programme which featured a birthday party for Samir Qantar, who spent 29 years in an Israeli jail for a 1979 attack in which five Israelis were killed.
During the programme, produced and hosted by Al Jazeera, Qantar uses a scimitar to slice a cake with his picture on it, while fireworks are set off around him and a band plays Arabic music.
An Al Jazeera official at the channel's headquarters in Qatar had no immediate comment. Al Jazeera has bureaux in Jerusalem and in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.
Qantar was among five Lebanese guerrillas freed last month as part of a prisoner swap between Israel and Hezbollah.
"I don't think it is appropriate for the state of Israel and the Government Press Office to keep extending the services they give them (Al Jazeera)," GPO director Daniel Seaman said.
Seaman said the programme "did not only cross a professional line, but a moral line".
He said Al Jazeera's existing press cards would not be revoked, but that without his office's assistance, it could take months instead of days for its personnel to get Israeli entry visas and work permits needed for press accreditation.
Israeli officials have often accused Al Jazeera of biased reporting of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a charge it has denied. (Writing by Avida Landau, Editing by Alistair Lyon)
The head of Israel's Government Press Office (GPO) said Al Jazeera would get only minimal services until it provided a "reasonable answer" about a programme which featured a birthday party for Samir Qantar, who spent 29 years in an Israeli jail for a 1979 attack in which five Israelis were killed.
During the programme, produced and hosted by Al Jazeera, Qantar uses a scimitar to slice a cake with his picture on it, while fireworks are set off around him and a band plays Arabic music.
An Al Jazeera official at the channel's headquarters in Qatar had no immediate comment. Al Jazeera has bureaux in Jerusalem and in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.
Qantar was among five Lebanese guerrillas freed last month as part of a prisoner swap between Israel and Hezbollah.
"I don't think it is appropriate for the state of Israel and the Government Press Office to keep extending the services they give them (Al Jazeera)," GPO director Daniel Seaman said.
Seaman said the programme "did not only cross a professional line, but a moral line".
He said Al Jazeera's existing press cards would not be revoked, but that without his office's assistance, it could take months instead of days for its personnel to get Israeli entry visas and work permits needed for press accreditation.
Israeli officials have often accused Al Jazeera of biased reporting of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a charge it has denied. (Writing by Avida Landau, Editing by Alistair Lyon)
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GeoffNI
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The problem I find is that Al Jazeera English is very different to the Arabic Qatar version. When Al Jazeera English launched many Arabs and the Left in British Society thought great. The world will see it from the Arab/Palestine/Lebanese Prospective. And they have done that very well. Because they have been able to paint Israel and the US in bad light but left out the extreme programming that the Qatar Version airs. So really Al Jazeera English is censoring there own views to appeal to the West.
- 3 years ago
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GeoffNI
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petarro
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Al Jazeera is 100% Muslim, Sponsored and in favor of Islam -only-. People think the show the reality but they just show the face they need.
- 3 years ago
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petarro
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GeoffNI
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Video Link
- 3 years ago
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GeoffNI
